Have you ever visited someone’s bathroom and noticed that their shower screen was dirty? Bet you wondered how they could leave it in such a state.
Well, don’t be so quick to lay the blame, yours might be just as bad! Shower screens become dirty very quickly unless you know a few handy steps to keep the shower glass sparkling clean at all times.
Before we go any further, we just want to point out that most shower screens aren’t actually made from glass. Although really expensive ones might be made from specially toughened glass, most are made from a synthetic plastic polymer that just looks like glass. Manufacturers use this material because it’s cheaper than glass and easier to shape and work with. But more importantly, it’s safer because it won’t break into hundreds of razor-sharp fragments if an accident occurs.
To make our life easier, we’ll be using the word ‘glass’ during this article, but remember, it might not be glass!
How Does the Glass Get So Dirty?
Let’s just think this through. You’re in a shower cubicle washing the day’s grime from your skin and hair. This is perfectly normal, nothing out of the ordinary.
Have you ever given a thought as to where the dirt, dead skin, and soap scum end up? Yes, you've guessed it. All the grime gets splashed onto the shower screen and runs down to the tray before exiting via the drain.
So, here’s the first point to remember. Your dirt goes onto the glass and runs down to the rubber seal. If you don’t rinse and dry these surfaces after use, a portion of the muck will stay there and dry up.
If you live in a hard water area, you will notice mineral deposits on the glass and more scum produced from its chemical reaction with soap. Hard water certainly makes things more difficult for everyone and everything. (By the way, do you know the difference between hard water and soft water?).
Now you know why your previously sparkling clean shower screen ends up streaked and looking dull. So, is the grime on it harmful? How does one clean a glass shower screen to keep it looking good? Let's find out.
Is the Dirt Harmful?
The simple answer to this is ‘yes’.
OK, we go into a bath or shower room to clean our bodies. But, if we don’t keep all the surfaces spotlessly clean, the shower spray only transfers the germs from us onto another surface. Combine this with the fact that shower rooms tend to be warm and damp — the ideal incubator for all types of bacteria and fungi. Some of these microorganisms can be quite harmful!
It isn’t only bodily dirt that encourages germs to grow. The limescale deposited from hard water is also a perfect breeding ground for microbes. Additionally, if you have an older home, you might still have lead pipework or lead solder in your plumbing. Over time, this harmful metal leaches out of the plumbing and dissolves into the water. It's also important to know that chlorine is used to clean up domestic water and kill microbes, but high concentrations of it will aggravate asthma and other respiratory problems during a long, hot shower.
Installing a shower head containing a suitable filter will solve the problems associated with lead, chlorine, limescale, and other unwanted substances. Don’t forget that we at StoneStream® offer filtered shower heads and separate inline filters that’ll help clean up your domestic water and make it safe to use!
Prevention is the Best Way
Don’t let the grime build up in the first place and you can easily keep the glass shower screen clean.
It’s really simple! You just need to train your family to rinse and wipe clean the shower screen after every use. Buy a squeegee with a rubber blade, the type that window cleaners use. Keep it in the shower room. After that, dry and polish the glass with a soft cloth. Don’t forget to wipe around the seals too!
Of course, preventing mineral-laden water from exiting the shower head in the first place will help immensely. Shower heads with built-in filters (such as the StoneStream EcoPower) are a worthwhile purchase if you have excessive particulates in your domestic water.
Use Household Products
You don’t have to buy expensive cleaning materials if you don’t want to. You already have plenty of useful materials in your kitchen. All you need is a bit of knowledge and common sense.
Detergent
Do you know one of the best cleaning materials to keep your shower glass clean is ordinary dishwashing detergent? After all, it’s designed to cut through all manner of grease and grime so it should work beautifully on your shower screen.
Squirt some dishwashing detergent onto a scrubbing brush or a cloth, add water, and apply the suds to the shower screen. Move your hand in a circular motion, taking care to cover the entire glass area. Afterwards, just rinse with fresh water and polish the glass with a clean cloth.
Baking Soda and Vinegar
Sometimes, you might have stubborn mineral deposits on the glass that can only be removed with an abrasive material. Be very careful. If you use the wrong abrasive material you might end up ruining your shower screen. Ordinary household baking soda is perfect for this job.
First, ensure that the screen is wet. Put some baking soda onto a cloth or sponge and scrub the screen’s surface. Don’t forget to clean the shower screen seal as well.
Next, put white vinegar into a spray bottle. Cover the screen with the liquid to neutralise the soda and then rinse everything with clean water.
Dry and polish the surface with a dry cloth.
You can also use baking soda and vinegar to clean your shower heads.
White Vinegar and Kitchen Towels
If you have really stubborn limescale deposits on your shower screen, try this method.
Put some white vinegar into a bowl.
Soak paper kitchen towels in the bowl.
Stick the towels onto the glass until the entire surface is covered.
As the vinegar dries, you can put more soaked towels onto the surface or use a vinegar-filled spray bottle to keep the towels damp.
Leave the towels on the glass for at least one hour.
Remove the towels and wipe off the residue.
Rinse and dry as normal.
Lemon Juice and Salt
Many shower screens have metal frames that become just as dirty, especially in the corners. In this case, you can use salt as a sterilising abrasive carried in a slightly less acidic solvent. Let’s try lemon juice this time. Hopefully. after cleaning the frame, the whole shower screen will soon be spotless.
Add one measure of lemon juice to two measures of salt. Mix the two in a small bowl or egg cup.
Use an old toothbrush to put the mixture onto the frame. Scrub away! Don’t forget the corners.
Leave the mixture on for about ten minutes to loosen the grime.
Rinse everything with clean warm water and dry as usual.
Since we're talking about lemons, did you know that Vitamin C showers are good for your skin and hair?
Buy Some Cleaning Cream
If you’d rather use something you’ve bought, go to your local supermarket or hardware store and get some shower cleaning cream.
A cheap one will do, it doesn’t have to be expensive. Just squeeze some onto a cloth and wipe it across the entire surface. Don’t rub too hard, it’s not necessary.
One more warning. If you have a marble or other type of polished stone shower tray, keep the cream away from it. When the screen is completely covered, wipe off with a damp cloth, but don’t scrub. Dry with a dry paper towel until you have an evenly clean shower screen. You can also use the cream on glazed tiles too. Just put the cream onto a cloth and spread as before.
Safety Tips
Remember that baking soda, vinegar, and salt can damage your skin when there's prolonged exposure. Always wear rubber gloves and splashproof spectacles when handling these materials.
Always Keep the Shower Glass Clean
Although many homes and properties have grimy shower cubicles or shower screens, the good news is that it doesn't take too long to remove the bacteria and mould that thrive in dirty, warm, and damp places. Try a few of the methods we mentioned above!
You can also go for StoneStream's filtered shower head (or one of our hard water filtration kits) to make sure that the water that touches you and your shower screen is devoid of harmful particles. Still, always make sure that your shower cubicle and shower accessories are clean, dry, and spotless! If you're interested in some of the best shower heads and shower accessories online, head over to the StoneStream website today and make a purchase that will benefit both you and the planet!